Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA) articles from August 2001

Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA) archives from August 2001

Playoff push in full effect for A's.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn CLEVELAND _ With two months left in the season, these rejuvenated A's appear ready for a playoff run. The non-waiver trade deadline passed Tuesday and A's general manager Billy Beane kept the roster intact,...

Clubhouse intact after trading deadline passes.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn CLEVELAND _ Obviously, the A's played well enough over the past month to make July 31 just another day. That date, the Major League non-waiver trading deadline, loomed large in the A's clubhouse in June, when the...

A's manager will keep focus on field.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn CLEVELAND_One day after baseball's trading deadline passed with all three key potential free agents_Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon and Jason Isringhausen_still with the team, A's players were hit with another set of...

Jamison wants to be in it for the long haul.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Matt Steinmetz OAKLAND _ Antawn Jamison says he's ready to make a long-term commitment to the Warriors. The Warriors say they want to take Jamison up on that offer _ although maybe not quite right now. Starting Wednesday,...

Rookie hurts hamstring during place-kicking drill.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Cam Inman STOCKTON, Calif. _ Rookie Jamie Rheem, who's competing with Jose Cortez for the vacant kicker job, pulled his right hamstring kicking a 53-yard field goal during practice Wednesday morning at University of the Pacific....

Oregon favored for Pac-10 title.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Jay Heater LOS ANGELES_New Arizona State football coach Dirk Koetter certainly didn't do anything to relieve the pressure on himself during the Pac-10's Media Day on Wednesday. Koetter, whose rebuilding job at Boise State...

Mornhinweg's antics sound familiar.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Cam Inman STOCKTON, Calif. _ Marty Mornhinweg's blowup Monday at Detroit Lions camp may have stunned his new team, but not some of the 49ers. Mornhinweg, the 49ers offensive coordinator the previous four seasons and now the...

Raiders, 49ers take time to remember fallen Stringer.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Steve Corkran NAPA, Calif. _ Some players and coaches bowed their heads. Some took off their helmets. Others took a knee. Then came a prayer and a moment of silence in honor of Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Korey Stringer. ...

Brown is following advice.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Cam Inman STOCKTON, Calif. _ As left guard Ray Brown wavered on whether to return to the 49ers for his 16th NFL season, he needed some reassurance. His teammates regularly offered their support. The 49ers front office...

Collins' switch gaining mo.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Steve Corkran NAPA, Calif. _ Raiders right guard Mo Collins looks like just another wide body when situated between 6-foot-6, 340-pound offensive right tackle Lincoln Kennedy and 6-3, 320-pound center Barret Robbins. Not for...

`Live wire' Porter has better day.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Steve Corkran NAPA, Calif. _ Wide receiver Jerry Porter rebounded from perhaps his worst day of training camp Tuesday with arguably his best Wednesday. Porter exchanged unpleasantries with receivers coach Fred Biletnikoff...

`Bighorn' TV match proves a huge waste of time.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Samuel Chi THE FOUR BEST golfers in the world played like a quartet of weekend hackers. Besides the reassuring thought that golf is a humbling game, Monday's "Battle at Bighorn" was a great waste of everyone's time and money. ...

Decorating Dilemma: Make large room cozy by dividing it in 2.
August 1, 2001... Q. Our decorating challenge is our family room, which is 24 by 13 feet with a floor-to-ceiling fireplace at one end. The fireplace has a gas-fired insert and is our main heat source in winter. Originally it was faced with flagstone rock, which...

Controversy Stews over San Pablo, Calif., Casino.
August 1, 2001... Byline: Curtis L. Esquibel Aug. 1--SAN PABLO, Calif.--As Capitol Hill politicos wrangle over a bill that could block a landless Sonoma County Indian tribe's acquisition of Casino San Pablo, the debate is brewing locally among residents,...

Berkeley, Calif., Scientist Weighs in on Internet Worms.
August 1, 2001... Aug. 1--Vern Paxson is a staff computer scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and a senior scientist at the AT&T Center for Internet Research at the International Computer Science Institute, also in Berkeley. Paxson has been...

A commitment to Oakland would boost team, some say.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Thomas Peele OAKLAND_They were the kings of baseball once, the swaggering A's of Charlie Finley, Reggie and Catfish, white-shoed heroes of the East Bay who lined up World Series trophies like the cargo containers on this city's...

A's deny reports of sale.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Ann Tatko and Bonita Brewer Mandalay Sports Entertainment made an unsolicited offer to purchase the Oakland Athletics, but team officials denied reports of an imminent sale. Now, none of that may matter. Although Mandalay...

Tejada takes seat over lack of hustle.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn CLEVELAND_The A's opportunity to gain more ground in the wild-card race briefly was overshadowed by another discipline problem with shortstop Miguel Tejada. In a tie game with American League Central-leading...

Mandalay likes to cover all bases.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Janet Adamy Oakland would get a touch of Hollywood if Mandalay Sports Entertainment ends up buying the Oakland Athletics. With a former Sony Pictures hotshot at its helm, the company said to be trying to purchase the team is...

Speculation over A's move a legacy of current owners.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Chris Metinko Less than a decade after it began, the team of Lafayette developer Ken Hofmann and Santa Clara developer Steve Schott appears ready to take its bat and ball and go home. If, indeed, their ownership of the Oakland...

Ex-Vallejo pitcher not emotional.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn CLEVELAND_Cleveland Indians rookie left-hander C.C. Sabathia would rather not talk about facing the A's until Friday. Sabathia, the 21-year-old former Vallejo High School standout, faces Oakland for the first time...

Ownership change would call for cheers.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Neil Hayes STOP CHEWING YOUR fingernails and start lighting cigars. Instead of crying in your beer you should be proposing toasts after learning that a group of out-of-town investors has made an offer to buy the A's. This is no...

Christiansen is excited about Giants' chances.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Okanes SAN FRANCISCO_It was either a Freudian slip, or Jason Christiansen is very confident these new Giants are on their way to an appearance in the World Series. Christiansen joined his new team Wednesday after being...

Giants' Schmidt is real deal vs. ex-team Pirates.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Okanes SAN FRANCISCO_Another day, another new player paying dividends for the Giants. This time, it was new starting pitcher Jason Schmidt, who continued to justify the slew of deals general manager Brian Sabean made...

Rueter, Giants continue to roll.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Okanes SAN FRANCISCO_Kirk Rueter, Marvin Benard and Jeff Kent served a reminder to Giants fans Thursday afternoon_they are pretty cute, too. The Giants won again Thursday, and get this, it had nothing to do with the...

Warriors' Jackson yet to receive offer.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Matt Steinmetz Warriors restricted free agent Marc Jackson continued his tour around the league this week, but he still is without an offer from another team. Jackson was in Indianapolis on Tuesday, meeting with Pacers executives....

Bernstein not ready yet to pass torch.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Gabrielle Stevenson Kenny Bernstein doesn't have anything to prove. He just likes winning. At 55, Bernstein recently considered retiring. The 2000 season was going to be his last. Then he changed his mind. "A year or so...

49ers add some special-teams help.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Cam Inman STOCKTON, Calif. _ While addressing their need for a veteran linebacker, the 49ers also gained a proven special-teams expert Thursday by signing Terry Killens to a one-year deal worth the NFL veteran minimum of $477,000....

Suspended Carter is on Raiders' list.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Steve Corkran NAPA_Cornerback Dale Carter sits at home these days, awaiting an expected call from the league office to notify him his one-year suspension for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy is over. Once that call...

Lighter Fish Tacos.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Elaine Magee Q: I've been ordering fish tacos in various Mexican restaurants every chance I get. Do you have a homemade version I can make easily at home? This is one of the only ways I can get the rest of my family to eat fish....

CyberRays aiming to bring playoffs to San Jose.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Jennifer Starks ACCORDING TO Bay Area CyberRays defender Brandi Chastain, four is the magic number. That's the number of points the CyberRays must accrue in order to host a playoff game at Spartan Stadium. "The fans...

California Druggist Returns to Work 18 Days after License Is Suspended.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Guy Ashley Aug. 2--A Walnut Creek pharmacist has been granted permission to return to work, 18 days after a judge suspended his pharmacy license in connection with deadly cortisone contamination earlier this year. Robert...

Pacific Gas & Electric Fails to Meet Second-Quarter Expectations.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Rick Jurgens Aug. 2--Beleaguered PG&E Corp. registered another setback Wednesday, as second-quarter results fell short of analysts' expectations. The San Francisco-based holding company posted second-quarter net income of $750...

Request Denied to Stop Plans to Close Concord, Calif., Birthing Center.
August 2, 2001... Byline: Guy Ashley Aug. 2--MARTINEZ, Calif.--A judge on Wednesday denied a request to immediately halt to plans to close the birthing center at Mt. Diablo Medical Center in Concord. But Contra Costa Superior Court Judge Maria Rivera...

Hot A's humiliate Sabathia, Indians.
August 3, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn CLEVELAND_The A's didn't allow themselves to become another chapter in the improbable season of former Vallejo High School standout C.C. Sabathia. It could have happened, though. Oakland has had a bad habit of...

Tejada is back on best behavior.
August 3, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn CLEVELAND_A night of reflection and self-examination made Miguel Tejada remorseful Thursday, and he got well against the Cleveland Indians. A day after being benched for not hustling during Wednesday's 6-5 loss...

Tentative deal for A's sale fizzles.
August 3, 2001... Byline: Ann Tatko and Bonita Brewer Amid conflicting reports, two things became clear Thursday: Mandalay Sports Entertainment has no firm plans to buy the Oakland Athletics, and the city and Alameda County are laying the foundation to...

Even without `the Wall,' a Berlin visit stirs memories of history.
August 3, 2001... Byline: Anne Chalfant (EDITORS: On Monday, the city of Berlin will hold a commemorative ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the Wall's construction, Aug. 13, 1961. Governing Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit will lay a wreath at the...

Center helps laborers get jobs and get paid.
August 3, 2001... Byline: Sonia Krishnan CONCORD, Calif. _ Lynn Svensson isn't about to let a piece of cement thrown through the window of her new Toyota ruin her day. She shrugs off the recent vandalism, saying it comes with the territory. "Of all the...

Ask Jeeves Suffers Another Steep Quarterly Loss.
August 3, 2001... Byline: Jessica Guynn Aug. 3--Ask Jeeves Inc. is still searching for answers. Battling the double-punch of a slowdown in corporate spending and a softening online advertising market, the Internet search engine reported a narrower but...

Long's bat aided by switch to left.
August 4, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn DETROIT_Is it mere coincidence that Terrence Long's recent hot streak has paralleled the A's sparkling play? Quietly, Long is turning in a solid second major-league season and is establishing himself as a standout...

Hudson tames Tigers.
August 4, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn DETROIT_The A's and Detroit Tigers played a little old-school baseball in nearly spanking new Comerica Park on Friday night. In a classic pitchers' duel that featured a couple of apparent purpose pitches and...

Crespo makes quick return to Giants.
August 4, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Okanes SAN FRANCISCO_Another visiting team to Pacific Bell Park, another quick homecoming for a former Giant. The Philadelphia Phillies came to San Francisco on Friday to open a three-game weekend series, and with them...

Giants tied in wild-card race.
August 4, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Okanes SAN FRANCISCO_Maybe Giants manager Dusty Baker will make Russ Ortiz run extra sprints on the Pacific Bell Park field today. Maybe he'll lock him in his office for a heart-to-heart meeting. Heck, he might even pull...

49ers notebook: Cortez becomes lonesome kicker.
August 4, 2001... Byline: Ann Tatko STOCKTON, Calif. _ Jose Cortez, who competed this year in the XFL with players such as "He Hate Me," earned the nickname "He Kick Straight" from 49ers coach Steve Mariucci. Now, Cortez also bears a new distinction: He...

Raiders cherish luxury of durable quarterback.
August 4, 2001... Byline: Steve Corkran One of the lasting images from last season is of Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon writhing in agony on the ground after absorbing a crushing blow from Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Tony Siragusa in the AFC...

SaberCats boss finds his calling.
August 4, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Okanes SUNNYVALE, Calif. Darren Arbet became head coach of the San Jose SaberCats in 1999 and in three years has turned the franchise into an Arena Football League power. Certainly, this guy always must have been...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Bankruptcies Column.
August 4, 2001... Aug. 4--The following businesses filed for legal protection from creditors in the federal bankruptcy court in Oakland. --Marcie Zellner, 337 W. Chanslor Ave., Richmond, dba: Marcie Zellner Acupuncturist/herbalist, P.O. Box 71102, Point...

Walnut Creek, Calif., Entrepreneur Sells Healthy Products Online.
August 4, 2001... Byline: Chris Metinko Aug. 4--A few years ago, Trisha Anderson asked herself a simple question. "What are we putting into our body?" The answer would eventually inspire her to turn to the Internet to help people lead healthier...

Dye joins new team, pursues same dream.
August 5, 2001... Byline: Ann Tatko His jerseys hang neatly side by side. His still clean white cleats line the bottom of his locker. No paper, magazines or trinkets clutter the space of the A's newest acquisition, yet right fielder Jermaine Dye already...

A's notebook: Mecir heads back to Oakland to get knee checked.
August 5, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn DETROIT_Reliever Jim Mecir does not know why his right knee is hurting, but it could be serious. After conferring with head trainer Larry Davis on Saturday, Mecir will travel to Oakland today to have the knee...

Giants notebook: Phils' arrival brings friends together.
August 5, 2001... Byline: Joe Roderick SAN FRANCISCO_New Giants reliever Wayne Gomes had dinner with Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Marlon Anderson the past two nights and planned to see a movie with him Saturday night. That might be a little too...

Time for Giants to start another streak.
August 5, 2001... Byline: Joe Roderick SAN FRANCISCO_Andres Galarraga didn't blast a game-winning homer, make a sensational diving stop or even walk on the body of water behind the right-field fence. He made an error, and, believe it or not, experienced...

49ers notebook: Four players in mix at tight end.
August 5, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Okanes STOCKTON, Calif. _ With Greg Clark still recovering from surgery on each of his hamstrings, the 49ers may need to get creative with their tight ends. Clark is still unable to practice and 49ers coach Steve...

Younger Heard gets a shot with 49ers.
August 5, 2001... Byline: Jonathan Okanes STOCKTON, Calif. _ There may be a "brother rule" in the youth leagues around Clute, Texas, but unfortunately for Grant Heard, there isn't one in 49ers training camp. Heard is attempting to make the 49ers as a...

Understudies take center stage for Raiders.
August 5, 2001... Byline: Steve Corkran OAKLAND_Wide receivers Jerry Rice, Tim Brown and James Jett combined for no receptions. Quarterback Rich Gannon seemingly spent more time wearing a baseball cap than Giants left fielder Barry Bonds. Only 30,000 or so...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Business Bulletin Column.
August 5, 2001... Aug. 5--MONDAY Experience Unlimited of Pleasant Hill, a no-fee, nonprofit volunteer organization sponsored by California Employment Development Department to help professionals seeking new jobs, holds an orientation meeting, 8:30 a.m. at...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Business Listing Column.
August 5, 2001... Aug. 5--The following individuals or corporations filed fictitious-business-name statements in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The Times makes every effort to ensure accuracy but cannot be held responsible if there are errors or omissions in...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., People in Motion Column.
August 5, 2001... Aug. 5--Pleasanton-based Valley Community Bank has added three new banking professionals to its team of experts. They are Gina Giammanco, as vice president, business banking officer; Susan Siauw, as assistant vice president/senior credit...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Money Make-Over Column.
August 5, 2001... Byline: Janet Adamy Aug. 5--Tracy Steverson spares no expense when it comes to making her backyard beautiful. There are the big costs, like the $1,000 patio foundation, and the moderate ones, like the hundreds of dollars worth of fig...

`Old Economy' Companies Regain Attractiveness in Midst of Tech Burnout.
August 5, 2001... Byline: George Avalos Aug. 5--In this version of evolution, the dinosaurs won. Just last year, it seemed a foregone conclusion: People would do just about everything on the Internet. The "New Economy" and its up-and-coming pack of...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Breaking Ground Column.
August 5, 2001... Byline: Kelly Smolen Aug. 5--When Mike Hurd speaks, you can hear his former vocation -- Antioch high school teacher. The president of Concord developer Reynolds & Brown narrates progress at a Livermore construction site much like a field...

Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif., Retirement Planner Column.
August 5, 2001... Byline: Steve Butler Aug. 5--A friend recently decided to solve her chronic back problems by conducting her own research into the arcane world of major spinal surgery. After interviewing three world-class surgeons, she came away with three...

Transportation Officials Push for Four-Lane Tunnel Near Contra Costa, Calif.
August 5, 2001... Byline: Daniel Borenstein Aug. 5--While Contra Costa leaders are publicly promoting a plan for a new two-lane bore at the Caldecott Tunnel, key state transportation officials are quietly maneuvering to add four lanes. "If you're gong...

A's seeking sweep.
August 6, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn DETROIT_Erik Hiljus spent three years in the Detroit Tigers system and made 134 relief appearances. So it is definitely strange for Hiljus to face his old team as the A's fifth starter. Hiljus will oppose...

A's defeat Tigers.
August 6, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn DETROIT_Generally, A's wins are a little more exciting than this. There is usually lots of intrigue, perhaps a couple of late rallies, a towering home run, maybe a beanball. But Sunday's 4-1 win over the Detroit...

Benito returns to Cincy.
August 6, 2001... Byline: Joe Roderick SAN FRANCISCO_Giants catcher Benito Santiago will return on Monday to Cincinnati, where he played last season and hit .262 with eight homers and 45 RBI. Big deal, he said. It's not one of his favorite cities...

Giants defeat Phillies.
August 6, 2001... Byline: Joe Roderick SAN FRANCISCO_Rich Aurilia and Livan Hernandez would have been the headliners on this sunny Sunday afternoon at Pacific Bell Park, but the main topic of conversation after the Giants' 8-4 win over the Philadelphia...

Brandon just watches, this time.
August 6, 2001... Byline: Gabrielle Stevenson Brandon just watches SONOMA, Calif. _ Brandon Bernstein was at the starting line all weekend at Sears Point Raceway. But he wasn't inside a dragster. Instead, Bernstein was merely a bystander, watching the...

Bernstein breaks through at Sears Point.
August 6, 2001... Byline: Gabrielle Stevenson SONOMA, Calif. _ After 14 years of trying, Kenny Bernstein finally got a victory at Sears Point Raceway. He had been a runner-up in 1994 and 1996, but a win always had been a fraction of a second out of...

Offseason camps help high school players attract colleges.
August 6, 2001... Byline: Joe Stiglich Pittsburg High School offensive tackle Albert Toeaina still hasn't gotten comfortable with the attention. Ever since he was named the top lineman at the Nike football camp at Stanford in May, the interest from...

FERC chairman resigns; Texan cited as likely replacement.
August 6, 2001... Byline: Rick Jurgens WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Curtis Hebert, who had been criticized for inaction during the California energy crisis, announced Monday that he planned to step down at the end of...

Gunmakers not liable, justices say.
August 6, 2001... Byline: Matt Sebastian WALNUT CREEK, Calif. _ Victims of gun violence and their families cannot sue weapons manufacturers for damages, the California Supreme Court ruled Monday in a case stemming from a deadly 1993 shooting rampage in San...

Major Developers Show Interest in Last Private Island in San Francisco Bay.
August 6, 2001... Byline: Kate Darby Rauch Aug. 6--RICHMOND, Calif.--So far, no island-hungry millionaires have plunked down a wad of cash, but after two months of nary a nibble from any potential buyers, a few "major" developers are reportedly interested...

A's making their move.
August 7, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn DETROIT_The A's could not be in any better position to make a definitive statement in the wild-card race. They just completed a 6-1 road trip to Cleveland and Detroit, outscoring those two by a 55-18 margin. So...

A's defeat Tigers.
August 7, 2001... Byline: Gary Washburn DETROIT_The complacence is no longer there. The A's did not feel satisfied taking the first three games of this series against the Detroit Tigers. That's an improvement from the first three months of the season,...

Big Cat on the prowl.
August 7, 2001... Byline: Joe Roderick CINCINNATI_The Giants were 52-49, 6 { games out of first place and on the verge of being swept in Colorado when Andres Galarraga and his Cheshire cat smile stepped into the clubhouse at Coors Field on July 25. The...

Cincy fans cheer `Eric the Red'.
August 7, 2001... Byline: Joe Roderick CINCINNATI_To Cincinnati fans, he always will be "Eric the Red," a magnificent blend of speed and power who was compared to Willie Mays when be broke in with the Reds in 1984. It hadn't hit Giants outfielder Eric...

Warrior ready to post big numbers.
August 7, 2001... Byline: Matt Steinmetz OAKLAND, Calif. _ Not long ago, Warriors center Erick Dampier was the iron man. Now, he's considered more the tin man. Consecutive injury-ravaged seasons almost have rendered Dampier a forgotten man. Three...

Despite blisters and swollen feet, walkers ready to do it again Avon 3-day walk nets $5.5 million for breast cancer research.
August 7, 2001... Byline: B. Roscoe research Here's the bad news: Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. According to statistics from the American Cancer Society, one out of nine women in the United States will develop breast...

Streets feeling better for 49ers.
August 7, 2001... Byline: Cam Inman STOCKTON, Calif. _ Wide receiver Tai Streets says his suspect right leg is doing fine, even though he didn't practice Monday at the University of the Pacific because of a strained right hamstring. Streets had been...

49ers' Andre Carter making an impact.
August 7, 2001... Byline: Neil Hayes STOCKTON, Calif. BRING A PROGRAM if you plan on attending a 49ers training camp practice. There are only a few players left on the team that can be recognized by jersey number. You'll spend the majority of your...

S.F. offensive linemen benefit by facing Carter.
August 7, 2001... Byline: Cam Inman STOCKTON, Calif. _ Facing defensive end Andre Carter has its rewards, as the 49ers offensive tackles are learning this training camp. "(Carter) has speed and counter moves, and he uses them quickly and effectively. He...

Okaefor's backup days may be over.
August 7, 2001... Byline: Cam Inman STOCKTON, Calif. _ Practice ended, but 49ers defensive end Chike Okeafor remained out in the middle of Zuckerman Field for about 10 minutes Tuesday asking for pointers from two NFL officials. Okeafor soaked it all in,...